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Roy Helu is a Must Start Against The Jets

The Redskins running back should put up big numbers today

Washington Redskins running back Roy Helu was the No. 1 waiver pick up of the week in most fantasy leagues. So go play him in Week 13 vs. the New York Jets.

Redskins coach Mike Shanhan said the rookie back from Nebraska was ready to be a full-time back after last week’s strong outing, his second strong of the season. He carried 23 times for 108 yards and a score and added seven catches for 54 yards for a 25.7-point day.

It’s the kind of performance we wanted to see from Helu the previous two weeks after he basically had the same kind of fantasy day in Week 9. However, Shanahan duped fantasy owners after waiver claims for Helu flooded the Week 10 wire. He went from 19.6 points to 6.9 points in a week as Ryan Torain got the start the week after Helu blew up. And there Helu went back into the pool in a lot of leagues.

But now we are expected to believe Shanahan when he says Helu has the starting job and it’s his to lose. Call me a sucker, but for the 4-7 Redskins hopefully trying to evaluate what they have for next year, that’s good enough for me. Helu is young, quick has power and is a killer in PPR leagues.

The Redskins get a Jets team that is 13th against fantasy running backs this season and No. 1 the last five weeks. But Helu did his two weeks of damage against San Francisco and Seattle, the No. 1 and 12-ranked rush defenses.

Many of us have been killed at the running back position this season.

From Jamaal Charles going on IR early followed by Jahvid Best and Fred Jackson to players like Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden out this week to players like Ahmad Bradshaw and, Michael Turner hobbled to Steven Jackson and Cedric Benson having terrible matchups this week, Helu is a perfect start, particularly in PPR leagues.